Cozy games are my absolute favorite genre of gaming. There’s something so special about sitting down to play something that you know will put you in a good, happy mood. And you know what, life is hard, and sometimes hard games remind you of that more than make you forget it. So, why not use your very limited time to play something that’s going to make you feel lighter and better about the world?
And in that same effort, I must have played hundreds of cozy games by now, always on the lookout for the next one to love. While I do have some staples I always return to, like Stardew Valley, I do love discovering new fun cozy games. And on my journey, I have collected many gems, so I’m here to tell you all about them.
If you’re in need of a cozy game to play, just look for your favorite subgenre of cozy below. And if you just want to know what’s on the list, check out the table of contents. Clicking on a link will take you straight to that game’s section so you can learn more about it.
See the full list of perfect cozy games!
- Stardew Valley — My top pick overall (for people who never played it); cozy farming and small town life.
- Fields of Mistria — Best pick if you already played Stardew and you want something similar but also unique (and magical, anime-like).
- Sun Haven — A great choice for a farming sim with no stamina bar.
- Wylde Flowers — The best choice if you want a story-driven, witchy RPG.
- Rune Factory 4 Special — Best if you want some combat and adventure with your farming.
- My Time at Sandrock — A good pick if you want something crafting oriented with tons of great characters.
- Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town — Extremely cozy and slow-paced farming.
- Coral Island — A great choice if you want farming but with the unique element of ocean cleanup and mermaids! Plus, excellent diversity.
- Everafter Falls — A lovely choice if you want classic farming with surprisingly deep automation, pets, and dungeon exploration.
- Roots of Pacha — Choose this game if you like farming but want more of a community feel.
- Echoes of the Plum Grove — Perfect if you love life sims with generational gameplay, survival mechanics, and meaningful choices.
- Garden Paws — Play as an adorable animal while running your own shop, farming, and restoring a charming island.
- Animal Crossing: New Horizons — The ultimate cozy escape where you decorate your island, befriend cute villagers, and take life at your own pace.
- Disney Dreamlight Valley — Build a lovely city for beloved Disney characters! Perfect for Disney fans.
- Cozy Grove — A relaxing daily-life game about helping ghosts find peace while slowly bringing color back to the island.
- Critter Cove — Great if you enjoy exploration, scavenging, and rebuilding a colorful island filled with quirky characters.
- Ooblets — Farming meets creature collecting, dance battles, and wonderfully weird humor.
- Hokko Life — Best if your favorite part of Animal Crossing is decorating and designing absolutely everything.
- Moonstone Island — Think Stardew Valley meets Pokémon, with creature collecting, deckbuilding combat, and floating islands to explore.
- Spiritfarer — Play this if you feel like crying and want to feel better about death.
- Gris — Another great (though shorter) pick for dealing with grief with some beautiful art.
- I Was a Teenage Exocolonist — Choose this for some excellent diversity and dealing with growing up.
- Venba — If you want a wonderful story about an immigrant family holding on to their culture via cooking, this is your game.
- Coffee Talk Tokyo — Relax with another comforting late-night café story, this time set in Tokyo with a brand-new cast of customers.
- Fishbowl — A heartfelt narrative about grief, family, and finding yourself while balancing work and everyday life.
- Coffee Talk — Spend your nights serving coffee, listening to customers’ stories, and helping them through life’s problems.
- Good Pizza, Great Pizza — A simple but incredibly satisfying restaurant sim where you’ll build your own pizza empire one order at a time.
- Cuisineer — Farm, explore dungeons, and cook delicious meals to keep your family restaurant thriving.
- Dave the Diver — Spend your days diving for fish and your nights running a sushi restaurant in one of the most charming games around.
- Chef RPG — Perfect if you want a cozy restaurant sim with RPG elements, exploration, and locally sourced ingredients.
- PlateUp! — Play if you liked Overcooked, but found it too stressful.
- Tiny Glade — Build beautiful castles, villages, and ruins with no objectives, pressure, or wrong answers.
- Dragon Quest Builders 2 — A fantastic mix of building, exploration, RPG combat, and one of the most charming stories in the genre.
- Dorfromantik — A peaceful puzzle game about placing tiles to create beautiful countryside landscapes.
- Townscaper — Build picturesque seaside towns simply by clicking (more of a relaxing toy than a traditional game).
- Hozy — Decorate, renovate, and create your dream home at your own relaxing pace.
- Station to Station — Restore colorful voxel landscapes by connecting towns with satisfying railway networks.
- The Wandering Village — Build a thriving settlement on the back of a giant wandering creature in this unique city builder.
- Islanders — A minimalist city-building game that’s easy to learn, relaxing to play, and surprisingly strategic.
- House Flipper — Renovate rundown homes, decorate them however you like, and enjoy the satisfaction of a complete makeover.
- Planet Zoo — Build your dream zoo while caring for realistic animals and creating beautiful habitats.
- Whisper of The House — Restore forgotten homes, uncover touching stories, and create warm, welcoming spaces.
- Make Room — A wonderfully cozy decorating game about organizing tiny spaces and making every room feel like home.
- Bear and Breakfast — Manage an adorable woodland bed and breakfast run entirely by bears.
- Sticky Business — Design cute stickers, package customer orders, and grow your own small online business.
- Minami Lane — Build and manage a tiny Japanese-inspired street filled with shops, restaurants, and happy residents.
- Tiny Bookshop — Run a charming traveling bookshop, recommend books to customers, and explore peaceful towns.
- InKonbini — Experience everyday life while managing a cozy Japanese convenience store and getting to know your regular customers.
- Capybara Spa — Build the cutest spa imaginable and keep your capybara guests happy and relaxed.
- Discounty — Manage a small-town discount supermarket while getting to know the locals and uncovering community secrets.
- A Little to the Left — Perfect if organizing, sorting, and putting things in their proper place makes your brain happy.
- Botany Manor — Explore a beautiful English manor while solving gentle botanical puzzles and growing mysterious plants.
- Unpacking — Unpack moving boxes throughout someone’s life and slowly piece together their story without a single line of dialogue.
- Assemble With Care — Repair treasured belongings while helping people mend their relationships.
- Lost and Found Co. — Find misplaced belongings, return them to their owners, and discover the stories behind each item.
- Quilts and Cats of Calico — A relaxing adaptation of the beloved board game, made even cozier thanks to lots of adorable cats.
- Strange Horticulture — Run a mysterious plant shop where identifying unusual flora helps solve an intriguing occult mystery.
- Is This Seat Taken? — A clever little puzzle game about seating people according to their personalities and preferences.
- A Short Hike — Take a hike through a mountain and meet some interesting characters.
- Journey — Perfect if you like Sky: Children of The Light already.
- Wingspan — Like the IRL board game, cozy, relaxing and will make you learn a lot about birds.
- Season: A Letter to the Future — Ride around on a bike and record the beauty of our world before it disappears.
- Moonglow Bay — A wholesome fishing RPG about healing after loss, rebuilding a seaside town, and cooking delicious seafood.
- Luna’s Fishing Garden — A tiny, peaceful fishing game where every catch helps restore a magical archipelago.
- Dredge — Starts as a standard fishing game, but beware the depths! It’s not too scary, more like creepy and eerie.
- Slay the Princess — One of the best stories in gaming! Choose this if you want to be charmed and surprised.
- Mundaun — Beautiful hand-penciled art, slow paced horror in the mountains. A great winter cozy play!
- Fear the Spotlight — Choose this if you feel like some cozy horror akin to 90s horror movies.
Editor’s Note: This page is constantly updated with new titles as new games come out, I play more games or something bad happens to the ones already on the list. The last update, on July 31st, was to improve UX (add sections that make the page more easy to navigate) and add more of the games I already played to the list. If you want to see a game you love on this list, please let me know in the comments below — I love finding new games to play and I would love to play your favorite.
Cozy Farming and Life Sims
Stardew Valley
| Platforms | PC, Nintendo Switch, PlayStation, Xbox, Mobile |
| Developer | ConcernedApe |
| Released | 2016 |
| Est. Playtime | 50+ hours (open-ended) |
| Co-op | Yes — up to 4 players |
| Price | $14.99 |
Stardew Valley is my favorite cozy game ever! And it’s not like I’m unique — most people who try it, love it, and for a good reason. In this game, you inherit a farm and move from a busy, boring city to a lovely little village where you can tend to your crops, raise animals, decorate your house, forage, fish, and meet the fun locals. Not only can you meet them, but you can also build strong friendships and even romance with some of them.
You’re not forced to do anything or play this game in any particular way, which makes it even better. The graphics are great, the soundtrack relaxing, and the gameplay loop varied. So, if you’re looking for the perfect entry point into the world of cozy gaming, there’s no better place to start than Stardew Valley. You can see my full review of this game here.
Fields of Mistria
| Platforms | PC |
| Developer | NPC Studio |
| Released | 5 August, 2024 |
| Est. Playtime | 40+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $13.99 |
Fields of Mistria is a newer game, and a spiritual successor to Stardew Valley. You still get the small town, the farming, fishing and foraging, but this game is more anime-inspired (some of the characters look like they came straight from Sailor Moon, which I love) and it has more romance focus. Plus, there’s magic!
The gameplay is more relaxing than Stardew Valley in that you can always see where the villagers are on the map, the crops grow quickly, and it just feels like it holds your hand more. But I really love how deep some of these storylines go, and I especially love all the characters.
Sun Haven
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch, PC |
| Developer | Pixel Sprout Studios |
| Released | June 25, 2021 |
| Est. Playtime | 44+ hours |
| Co-op | Yes – up to 8 players on PC |
| Price | $8.74 |
Speaking of games like Stardew Valley but with more magic, Sun Haven is another excellent pick. It leans into the fantasy and RPG elements way more, though, and the best part is that there is no stamina system. This means that your energy won’t run out mid-task and you can play at your own pace (which I loved, because I always have to stop tasks in Stardew to avoid keeling over and paying a fine).
Sun Haven also looks beautiful, with vibrant colors and pretty designs. What I enjoyed the most, though, is the variety of things to do. From farming to becoming a mage or restoring shops, all of that is possible, so you can truly play this game any way you want.
Wylde Flowers
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, iOS, PC, Xbox Series X and Series S |
| Developer | Studio Drydock Pty Ltd |
| Released | February 18, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 50+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $24.99 |
Wylde Flowers is an excellent option if you want to follow a character’s story instead of creating your own. You play this game as Tara, a budding witch, as she learns new skills and builds relationships with her coven. There’s the standard farming gameplay loop you’d expect, but you can also fly on a broomstick, learn spells, make potions, or even transform into animals!
The cast is fully voiced and the art is beautiful, so you’ll get fully immersed (I played until 3am a few nights, which, as a parent, is not the best idea, but kudos to this game for achieving that). I found the storyline surprisingly emotional as well, which I didn’t expect at all. So, if you want a relaxing, kind of RPG game, Wylde Flowers is one of the best games you can choose.
Rune Factory 4 Special
| Platforms | PlayStation 4, Xbox, PC |
| Developer | HAKAMA Inc., Neverland |
| Released | December 7, 2021 |
| Est. Playtime | 35+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $29.99 |
If your definition of cozy also includes some combat, I heartily recommend Rune Factory 4 Special. This game has farming simulation, dungeon crawling, and relationship-building, all wrapped in a charming anime-inspired package.
You play as a prince or princess who, after a series of unexpected events, becomes the de facto ruler of the town of Selphia. From there, you’ll plant crops, raise monsters, explore dungeons, and build meaningful relationships with the townsfolk.
I really love the art style of this game, and how it lets you do so many things. It never felt boring or especially grindy to me.
My Time at Sandrock
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox, PC |
| Developer | Pathea |
| Released | May 26, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 80+ hours |
| Co-op | Yes – up to 4 players |
| Price | $39.99 |
I liked My Time in Portia, but adored My Time at Sandrock. To me it felt like the creators improved so many things and added more of what made Portia great. I’ll admit — it’s less farming and more of a life sim, with a bunch of crafting and community building, so keep that in mind.
My Time at Sandrock transports you to a vibrant desert town where you inherit a run-down workshop and embark on a journey to restore it to its former glory. There are elements of crafting, resource management, and exploration. As you gather materials, complete commissions, and interact with the townsfolk, you’ll uncover stories of the past and build relationships.
My favorite part was that you can go on dates with your prospective romantic partners (which was fun), and the fact that all the characters feel alive.
Story of Seasons: Pioneers of Olive Town
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch, PlayStation 4, PC |
| Developer | Marvelous, THREE RINGS, Three Rings Inc. |
| Released | February 25, 2021 |
| Est. Playtime | 40+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $39.99 |
Story of Seasons is like the grandfather of all cozy games, especially of the farming/life sim variety. It’s not one of my personal favorites, but it has such a big legacy and the gameplay is soft and enjoyable enough that I know it’ll be someone’s favorite.
This game invites you to breathe life into a rustic farm in the charming Olive Town. Building upon the series’ legacy, this installment offers a rich mix of activities, from cultivating crops and raising animals to customizing your farm and home. The game’s open-ended design allows for a personalized experience, letting you shape your rural paradise at your own pace.
Coral Island
| Platforms | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and Series S, PC |
| Developer | Stairway Games |
| Released | October 8, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 60+ hrs |
| Co-op | Yes – up to 4 players |
| Price | $29.99 |
Coral Island is criminally overlooked, but it’s one of my favorite life sim games. For one, the art style is beautiful and there’s so much diversity in characters. And the unique ocean cleanup aspect sets it apart from all other games — plus, it was my favorite thing to do. From the moment the day started, to nightfall, I would clean up the trash, find treasure and look for those glimpses of mermaids (yes, mermaids!).
Aside from the addictive game loop, you get to romance a truly wide cast of NPCs, all of whom have their own quirks and storylines. It’s a truly lovely experience, and I would recommend it if you played some life sims already but want something new and different. You can see my full review of Coral Island here.
Everafter Falls
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | SquareHusky |
| Released | Jun 20, 2024 |
| Est. Playtime | ~54 hrs |
| Co-op | Yes (local split-screen only) |
| Price | $19.99 |
Everafter Falls is a charming farming simulation game that invites you to rediscover the simple life in a whimsical world. After waking up from a simulation, you find yourself in the vibrant town of Everafter Falls, surrounded by anthropomorphic animals and magical creatures. The game combines traditional farming activities like planting, harvesting, and animal care with unique features such as dungeon diving, crafting, and a card-based progression system. With no stamina bar and no tool durability, you can enjoy a relaxed and immersive experience without the usual pressures of time management.
Roots of Pacha
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS5, Xbox Series |
| Developer | Soda Den |
| Released | April 25, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 40+ hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $24.99 |
Roots of Pacha takes the farming game formula and puts it into the stone age. I really loved this one for how it pushes you to become a part of the community and create things that improve the life of everyone. You can discover new concepts (well, new for Stone Age), build relationships, and still get to farm and explore.
If you ever watched the anime Dr. Stone, it kind of reminded me of that, so if you, too, enjoyed Senku’s genius adventures, I recommend this one. But even if you haven’t, Roots of Pacha will charm you with its lovely, relaxing world and beautiful art style.
Echoes of the Plum Grove
| Platforms | PC, Switch, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Unwound Games |
| Released | August 31, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 30+ hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
Echoes of The Plum Grove plays on a similar concept as many of these other games do. You’re in a shipwreck and end up on an island where you get a little plot of land. Your job is to build your farm and figure out a way to survive. The unique element here is the winter survival, which is harder than in most of these games, so I would call this more of a cozy survival farming game. Is that a thing? Well, it definitely is now since this game exists. It’s an enjoyable experience either way, and if you want your farming more challenging, an excellent choice!
Garden Paws
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One |
| Developer | Bitten Toast Games |
| Released | October 20, 2018 |
| Est. Playtime | 40+ hrs |
| Co-op | Yes |
| Price | $19.99 |
So, this is perhaps not for everyone, and it’s no longer being worked on by the devs, but I enjoyed the gameplay enough to add it here. It’s just so relaxing even if there’s literally no point. Anyways — you are a little animal (pick from a selection of characters which you can customize) and you have to run a shop (kind of reminded me of Grand Bazaar in that sense), and build up the town and your farm. There’s not much to it but the navigation is fun and it’s kind of cute, so it’s worth your time if you’re looking for something unique.
Cozy Village Life Sims
Animal Crossing: New Horizons
| Platforms | Nintendo Switch, Nintendo Switch 2 |
| Developer | Nintendo |
| Released | March 20, 2020 |
| Est. Playtime | 60+ hrs |
| Co-op | Yes (local up to 8 / online up to 4) |
| Price | $59.99 |
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is the quintessential cozy game. You start life on a deserted island, tasked with transforming it into a thriving community full of charming animal villagers. The game encourages slow-paced creativity, from decorating your home and island to fishing, gardening, and designing clothing. Every day brings small, pleasant tasks that reward patience and attention to detail. I used to love this game and invested so much time into it, and I feel like it gets even better with mods, so give it a try if it seems like your cup of tea!
Disney Dreamlight Valley
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Gameloft |
| Released | September 6, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 35+ hours |
| Co-op | Features online multiplayer called “Valley Visits” for up to 4 players |
| Price | $39.99 |
Disney Dreamlight Valley is a delightful blend of life simulation and adventure, where you can build, farm, cook, and explore alongside beloved Disney and Pixar characters. Set in a magical valley, the game invites you to restore harmony by completing quests, solving puzzles, and nurturing relationships with iconic characters like Mickey, Moana, Elsa, and WALL-E. If you want to know more, you can check out the full review here!
Cozy Grove
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, iOS |
| Developer | Spry Fox |
| Released | March 19, 2021 |
| Est. Playtime | 70+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
Cozy Grove is a life-sim adventure where you explore a charming, ever-changing island inhabited by friendly ghostly spirits. As a Spirit Scout, your mission is to help these spirits resolve unfinished business while gradually restoring the island’s color and vitality. The game’s soft art style, gentle soundtrack, and slow-paced gameplay were really soothing to me personally, it was almost a meditative experience. You’re encouraged to check in daily and just roam around and enjoy!
Critter Cove
| Platforms | PC (Steam) — Early Access |
| Developer | Gentleman Rat Studio LLC |
| Released | Sep 10, 2024 |
| Est. Playtime | 15+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
If you’re looking for a unique life sim, this is the one! I loved Critter Cove and exploring the ocean without any danger, fixing up the town so it gets cleaner and better, and making friends with the characters. Pokee is my favorite, but there are so many to love!
The NPCs (and you) are anthropomorphic animals, and the customizer is surprisingly great. The world also feels large, and I loved seeing it more and more populated. So, if you’re after a unique game that adds a new layer of fun and depth, I cannot recommend Critter Cove enough!
Ooblets
| Platforms | PC, Switch, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Glumberland |
| Released | July 15, 2020 |
| Est. Playtime | 25+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $29.99 |
This is one of the weirder games on this list, but it deserves much love! There’s farming, and standard life sim stuff, but then also creature collecting and dance battles. The name Ooblets comes from ooblet seeds you have to collect and grow to get your own followbabies, which are these thingies (like vegetables) that follow you around.
I loved this game. It was so cute and cozy, with tons of personality and character. If you’re in the market for something a bit out there, try this one!
Hokko Life
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Wonderscope |
| Released | June 2, 2021 |
| Est. Playtime | 10+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
In this game, you get a workshop, and you can restore and build various things, restore and build the small town, interact with villagers, and more. It’s kind of like Animal Crossing, so if you liked that but want something different, this is your game. It ran really well on my Steam Deck, so I highly recommend it if you need a fun little cozy game.
Moonstone Island
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Studio Supersoft |
| Released | September 20, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 30+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
This is more of a creature collector but set across a large open world of sky islands. There’s a deckbuilding element to it as well, which is great if that’s something you enjoy. It has tons of stuff to do, some fun dungeons and other aspects that make it unique in this genre.
Story-Driven and Emotional Cozy Games
Spiritfarer
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Thunder Lotus Games |
| Released | 18 August, 2020 |
| Est. Playtime | 25+ hours |
| Co-op | Yes (local 2-player) |
| Price | $29.99 |
Spiritfarer is a beautifully crafted game that explores the themes of life, death, and the connections we form along the way. You play as Stella, a ferrymaster to the deceased, guiding spirits to the afterlife while fulfilling their final wishes. The game combines elements of resource management, crafting, and platforming, all set against a backdrop of hand-drawn art and a poignant orchestral soundtrack.
I have never in my life expected to cry for a game, but I did with this one. And I have many anxieties and fears about death and dying (especially of loved ones), but Spiritfarer managed to kind of soothe that, especially in the wake of my beloved grandma dying. I don’t know what to tell you, just give it a try if you need a hug in game format.
Gris
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4, Xbox One, iOS, Android |
| Developer | Nomada Studio |
| Released | 13 Decembar, 2018 |
| Est. Playtime | 4-5 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $16.99 |
Gris is a visual and emotional journey. You follow Gris, a young girl in a world shattered by sorrow, as she regains her sense of hope and color. The game’s soft, painterly art style, combined with a soothing soundtrack, creates a meditative experience that feels like stepping into a moving painting.
This is yet another game that understands grief so well, and it was incredibly important to me when I first played it. For such a short experience, it really does a lot for you. So, if you’re in the mood to cry and understand yourself better, give this one a go. See my full review of Gris here.
I Was a Teenage Exocolonist
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Northway Games |
| Released | 25 August, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 10+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
Okay, let’s move on from games that made me cry, shall we? How about some coming-of-age visual novel goodness. This one has many endings (I won’t spoil anything!) so all of your choices affect how the game progresses and ends. The characters are all charming and feel fleshed out, and you can change your gender and pronouns at any time. I feel like this game handles puberty and sexuality really well too, and while it does have some darker themes, it never feels dark or gritty.
Venba
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Visai Games |
| Released | 31 July, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 2-3 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $14.99 |
This game starts out like a simple cooking game. However, what you actually get is a story about moving from your own country to a different place, where it’s hard to both fit in and keep holding on to your own culture. So, the little family you follow and cook with tries to honor and remember their culture through food and small, everyday moments.
It’s a short but memorable experience, and Venba has such a clear direction and art style that it’s hard not to love. Give it a go if it seems like your cup of tea!
Coffee Talk Tokyo
| Platforms | PC, Switch,PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Chorus Worldwide, Toge Productions |
| Released | May 21, 2026 |
| Est. Playtime | 7+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $14.99 |
This is a very simple game to play, but there’s a lot in it to enjoy. You play a barkeep in the summery Tokyo where various people take refuge from the heat in your bar. Serve them the right drink and they’ll open up about love, life and loss, and you’ll get to piece together some really lovely stories. As a bonus, the music is so relaxing!
Fishbowl
| Platforms | PC, PS5 |
| Developer | imissmyfriends.studio |
| Released | April 2, 2026 |
| Est. Playtime | 8+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $9.99 |
Fishbowl is a lovely coming of age story about Alo, as she moves into a new city for a new job and deals with grieving her grandmother’s death as well as some abandoned dreams. She also gets a magical talking fish from her childhood called Paplet, which helps alo unravel her past so she can live a better future. It’s slow paced (you do Alo’s tasks 24/7), and that makes it really relaxing. I also believe this is meant to be set in some sort of isolation situation, likely the pandemic, so it kind of brings back feelings of that time.
Cooking, Cafés & Restaurants
Coffee Talk
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Toge Productions |
| Released | 29 January, 2020 |
| Est. Playtime | 3-4 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $11.99 |
This might be cheating a little, but you won’t mind, right? Coffee Talk is just like Coffee Talk Tokyo, just set in Seattle. Your job is the same — serve drinks and listen to stories. It’s a perfect bedtime game and a great game to play when you’re tired and just want something soothing. Just trust me, give it a go!
Good Pizza, Great Pizza
| Platforms | iOS, Android, PC (Steam), Switch |
| Developer | TapBlaze |
| Released | 2018 (mobile) / 2022 (Steam) |
| Est. Playtime | 19+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | Free (mobile) / ~$9.99 (Steam) |
In this game, you run a cozy little pizza shop, where you — you guessed it — make pizza. The gameplay loop is quite simple but if you like cooking games, it’ll suit you. The storytelling is surprisingly great as well, with plenty of interesting characters, and I really love that art style. This one’s free on mobile too, so give it a go and see if you like it.
Cuisineer
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | BattleBrew Productions |
| Released | November 9, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 20-25 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
In Cuisineer, your job is to explore dungeons and collect various food items to later cook meals and sell them in your little medieval restaurant. It felt a bit like Hades to me, but with cooking. The gameplay does get a little repetitive, but for a relaxing little daily game, this fits the bill perfectly. As a bonus, it has many accessibility settings!
Dave the Diver
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Mintrocket |
| Released | 28 June, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 30-35 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
I loved Dave the Diver! There’s something so satisfying and addictive in that gameplay loop that I don’t even know how to explain it. But, the point is that you play as Dave, who (shocker) dives during the day to gather fish (a task that often turns dangerous or deadly if you’re not careful) and runs a sushi bar at night.
So you get a bit of fishing and danger, a bit of cooking, and tons of fun. You also get to upgrade your equipment and restaurant, hire nice staff, host VIP events, and more. Give it a try, you won’t regret it! And you can find my full review of Dave the Diver here.
Chef RPG
| Platforms | PC (Windows/Mac/Linux) — Early Access |
| Developer | World 2 Studio |
| Released | September 12, 2024 |
| Est. Playtime | 50+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
Chef RPG is truly a cooking/restaurant game. Your main job is to cook, but to get there, you have to hunt, collect recipes, hire staff, and more. You can also befriend the NPCs and even romance them, which is always a bonus. Nothing felt too complicated to me, and I really enjoyed this. In many ways, it’s like Stardew Valley, but with more cooking and faster progress.
PlateUp!
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | It’s Happening Games |
| Released | August 4, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 15-20 hrs |
| Co-op | Yes – up to 4 players |
| Price | $17.99 |
PlateUp! is a lot like Overcooked, but more relaxing. So if you heard of Overcooked and wanted to play it but it seemed too stressful, this one is a pretty good alternative. You can design your restaurant, automate, and obviously cook. But the stakes are crazy high. One bad review or missed customer could bankrupt you — so be careful!
Building, Decorating & Creative Sandboxes
Tiny Glade
| Platforms | PC (Windows, Linux) |
| Developer | Pounce Light |
| Released | September 23, 2024 |
| Est. Playtime | 5+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $14.99 |
Tiny Glade is a relaxing little diorama building game. You can craft whimsical castles, cozy cottages, and romantic ruins without the pressure of objectives or time constraints. Literally, there’s nothing else to it but to decorate and enjoy, so if you dislike goals and just want to be creative, try this one out. For me, it felt like a nice and easy way to relax and be creative without feeling any pressure whatsoever.
Dragon Quest Builders 2
| Platforms | PS4, Switch, PC |
| Developer | Square Enix |
| Released | December 20, 2018 |
| Est. Playtime | 55+ hours |
| Co-op | Yes (up to 4 online) |
| Price | $59.99 |
Dragon Quest Builders 2 is a delightful blend of RPG adventure and sandbox building, set in a vibrant world where creativity knows no bounds. You play as a young builder who, alongside the enigmatic Malroth, embarks on a journey to restore the world ravaged by the Children of Hargon. The game combines structured quests with open-ended building mechanics, allowing you to create everything from humble homes to grand castles, all while engaging in a lighthearted narrative.
Dorfromantik
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Toukana Interactive |
| Released | 28 Apr, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 15-20 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $16.99 |
I really loved Dorfromantik. It scratched such a specific itch in my brain — the sound effects, the gameplay, the everything of it just clicked so perfectly I almost dozed off, but not like it was boring, more like it lulled me into this perfect state of contentment.
If you’re having a difficult day, and need some softness in your life, trust me, give this game a go. It’s incredibly simple while not being boring or tedious — you get these procedurally generated tiles with pieces of landscapes and you’re meant to fit them all together, one by one, into a beautiful little world. Some tiles will come with quests (like this tile with train tracks wants to be connected to ten more train tracks or something like that), but all of them are relatively simple and easy to do.
Townscaper
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, iOS, Android |
| Developer | Oskar Stålberg |
| Released | 26 August, 2021 |
| Est. Playtime | Open-ended (2-3 hrs typical) |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $5.99 |
This game is kind of like Dorfromantik, but with colorful blocks instead of tiles. You plop the block down, see what happens, end up with a charming little townscape. It’s really simple but so addictive and I like playing it with some nice lo-fi music. I still prefer Dorfromantik but this one is good as well.
Hozy
| Platforms | PC, Mac (Steam) |
| Developer | Come On Studio |
| Released | 30 March, 2026 |
| Est. Playtime | ~5-8 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $14.99 |
Hozy is a game where you get to redecorate a bunch of rooms and restore a forgotten neighborhood to its former glory. The designs are fun and varied, but I will say that this game might be a tad expensive for the amount of time you spend in it. Like I managed to finish it in around 2 hours, and they were great two hours, but that’s still not a ton of time. It also didn’t work on my Steam Deck all that well, but if you really like decorating and want something easy, this is great!
Station to Station
| Platforms | PC (Steam) |
| Developer | Galaxy Grove |
| Released | 3 October, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 10+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $14.99 |
This was an enjoyable train track building game. It’s very simple, a puzzle game you can approach in many different ways, and it has a bunch of different biomes you can breathe new life into by creating new stops. The voxel art is pretty, the gameplay entertaining, so give it a spin when you feel like some trains.
The Wandering Village
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Stray Fawn Studio |
| Released | 17 July, 2025 |
| Est. Playtime | 13+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $24.99 |
Howl’s Moving Castle? How ‘bout your own wandering village instead? In all seriousness, I adored this game because it does give you the city building and management that it promises, but it also delivers a lovely story which I totally didn’t expect. And the twist of caring for the creature carrying the city is quite something.
Islanders
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Grizzly Games |
| Released | 4 April, 2019 |
| Est. Playtime | 3-5 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $4.99 |
This, to me, felt more like a puzzle game than a city builder, but you do have to actually build the aforementioned cities, so I’ll keep it here. Anyways — in this one, you don’t have to worry about your citizens or manage anything. Your job is to place the buildings in the smartest place possible, and that’s how you score points, so to speak. Each island is different and a puzzle of its own so you won’t get bored easily either.
House Flipper
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Empyrean / Frozen District |
| Released | 17 May, 2018 |
| Est. Playtime | 15-20 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
I really enjoyed House Flipper. If you like HGTV and watching people renovate old, dirty places so they’re pretty and brand new, play this game, you’ll love it. The gameplay loop is simple — at first you do random jobs like house painting and fixing things, and then you earn enough money to buy a property to flip. When you do, it’s time to make it look good. That’s it! It’s really a nice game to sink into, so I highly recommend it.
Planet Zoo
| Platforms | PC |
| Developer | Frontier Developments |
| Released | 5 November, 2019 |
| Est. Playtime | 50-100 hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $44.99 |
If you want to build something grander and with more life, check out Planet Zoo, in which you build a Zoo. This game is really lovely in how realistic the animals feel and how they make you care for them. I ended up wanting the best possible habitats for my lovely creatures. There’s also the element of making your zoo fun for your visitors. The balance of these things is perhaps not as relaxing as I would have liked, but take it one step at a time, and I’m sure you’ll enjoy it.
Whisper of The House
| Platforms | PC |
| Developer | GD Studio |
| Released | July 18, 2024 |
| Est. Playtime | 5+ hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $14.99 |
In Whisper of The House, you get to help the characters move, redecorate and organize, and then you might even stumble into some of their stories. You can interact with their items, place them wherever you want, and see what happens. The art is done in a pixel style and the music is relaxing, so I would highly recommend it!
Make Room
| Platforms | PC |
| Developer | Kenney |
| Released | August 7, 2025 |
| Est. Playtime | 3-5 hours |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $9.99 |
Make Room is much like Tiny Glade in the sense that it’s a diorama where the only limit is your imagination. In this one though, you design rooms instead of buildings. You have thousands of items to choose from and you can place them where you want, many design options for different room shapes or architectural details, etc. I enjoyed Tiny Glade more, but if you prefer rooms to buildings, this is for you.
Shop & Business Management Sims
Bear and Breakfast
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Gummy Cat |
| Released | 28 July, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 15-20 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
Bear and Breakfast is my jam! I adore this game, and it reminds me so much of my childhood and some of the games I played with my sister back then.
You play as Hank, a well-meaning bear who embarks on an unexpected journey into the world of hospitality. What starts as a simple mission to run a bed and breakfast in the woods quickly turns into a whimsical adventure filled with charming characters, delightful quests, and a touch of mystery.
Sticky Business
| Platforms | PC, Switch |
| Developer | Spellgarden Games |
| Released | July 17, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 8-10 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $14.99 |
In this game, you run a sticker business. So, you get to make, sell or send stickers, which sounds maybe uninteresting (I thought so at first too), but ends up being really fun. The more you play, the more storylines you unlock and the more requests you get so your stickers have to fit certain themes or be good enough to unlock more stories. It was a fun, relaxing experience, and I loved playing it with my daughters (who, as you can imagine, love stickers). Highly recommend!
Minami Lane
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Doot / Blibloop |
| Released | February 28, 2024 |
| Est. Playtime | 5+ hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $4.99 |
Minami Lane is a quick and easy little game that asks you to design a cozy little street with a mix of shops (bookshop, konbini, spa, boba tea, flower shop) and homes and gardens. In each shop, you have to set the right ingredients or items, as well as prices, to suit all of your citizens (you get seniors, young people and yokai). The better you are at making everyone happy, the more money you’ll earn.
It’s cute and cozy, with a relaxing music and a sandbox mode that I really enjoyed using once I was done with the story mode. You can learn more about Minami Lane in my review here!
Tiny Bookshop
| Platforms | PC, Switch, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Neoludic Games |
| Released | August 7, 2025 |
| Est. Playtime | 8-10 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
I love reading (have a bookish blog here), so you know one of my big dreams is to run a bookshop some day. And while IRL that might be a pipe dream, in this game, I got to run my own tiny bookshop, and I loved it!
It lets you stock your shelves with real-world books, decorate your cozy trailer, and build relationships with the quirky locals. Each day, you choose a scenic spot to park your shop, engage with customers, and recommend the perfect book to suit their mood or needs. Which is just perfect for me, and I hope it will be perfect for you too!
InKonbini
| Platforms | PC, PS5, Xbox Series, Switch |
| Developer | Nagai Industries |
| Released | April 30, 2026 |
| Est. Playtime | 7-8 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
InKonbini is inspired by 1990s Japan and you get to run a small-town convenience store. It’s more a story game with shop-running elements and it does end pretty quickly, but it’s very charming and full of interesting characters and storylines. If you need something quick, heartfelt and cozy, this is a good pick!
Capybara Spa
| Platforms | PC |
| Developer | Cozy Bee Games |
| Released | March 14, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 5-6 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $7.99 |
I don’t know why Capybaras are so popular these days, but I’ll take it. These cute little animals get their own spa in this point and click game. Basically, you put the capybara into the spa, feed them what they want, remove them from the spa and that’s it! But then you also get to expand and scale your business, which is fun. So it’s definitely on the lighter side of shop management, but still worth it, especially if you can get it on sale.
Discounty
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Crinkle Cut Games |
| Released | August 21, 2025 |
| Est. Playtime | ~20 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
In Discounty, you get your own shop (from a secretive aunt) and you have to manage it — order items, make trade deals, etc. but also interact with the townsfolk and learn more about them. Perhaps even help their community thrive and heal. This isn’t my personal favorite because I found it a bit repetitive, but it’s a familiar gameplay loop and you might enjoy it!
Puzzle and Slow-Paced Thoughtful Games
A Little to the Left
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, iOS |
| Developer | Max Inferno |
| Released | 8 November, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 4-5 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $5.99 |
A Little to the Left is a delightful puzzle game where you get to organize and tidy up various household items into pleasing arrangements. Each level presents a unique scenario, such as aligning picture frames, sorting office supplies, or arranging kitchen utensils. It’s a simple, creative puzzle game, and I especially loved the Daily Tidy mode where you get new tidying puzzles daily.
Botany Manor
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS5, Xbox Series |
| Developer | Balloon Studios |
| Released | 9 April, 2024 |
| Est. Playtime | 3-4 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $24.99 |
Botany Manor is a cozy first-person puzzle game set in a beautifully rendered 19th-century English manor. You step into the shoes of Arabella Greene, a retired botanist working to complete her herbarium, Forgotten Flora. The gameplay revolves around exploring the manor and its gardens, uncovering clues in letters, books, and objects, and using this information to cultivate rare and magical plants.
Unpacking
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Witch Beam |
| Released | 2 November, 2021 |
| Est. Playtime | 4-5 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
Unpacking is a soothing, narrative-driven puzzle game that turns the everyday act of unpacking boxes into a heartwarming experience. You follow a character moving through different stages of life, unpacking their belongings into various homes. Every object tells a story, from childhood toys to kitchen gadgets. I found it very calming for a puzzle game, and you might too!
Assemble With Care
| Platforms | PC, Switch, Apple Arcade |
| Developer | ustwo games |
| Released | 26 March, 2020 |
| Est. Playtime | 2-3 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $7.99 |
In this game, you play the role of Maria, an antique restorer, as she moves to this small town and starts to help people reconnect via everyday items. And let me tell you, while I suck at repairing anything in real life, I am a dab hand at it in this game. I loved all the stories, and especially how this game kind of teaches you that everything can be fixed, and is sort of the opposite of the overconsumption culture.
Lost and Found Co.
| Platforms | PC, Mac (Steam) |
| Developer | Bit Egg Inc. |
| Released | March 6, 2026 |
| Est. Playtime | ~6 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $17.99 |
Lost and Found Co. is a hidden object game with a nice little story to tie it together and make all of your searches meaningful. I love the hidden object genre, and so I’m always looking for a game in it that I can love, and this one scratched the itch. It’s colorful and soothing, challenging at times but it can also be easy. The hint system is also great because there are two levels of it and the first level will only give you a riddle that helps instead of showing where the object is, which I think is a genius way to keep the mystery going!
Quilts and Cats of Calico
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS5, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Monster Couch |
| Released | March 5, 2024 |
| Est. Playtime | 5-6 hrs (story) |
| Co-op | Yes (local & cross-platform multiplayer, up to 4) |
| Price | $19.99 |
This is a cozy puzzle game where you make a quilt out of different patches and then cats might even like it. It’s an adaptation of the well-loved board game, and you can play it with up to 4 people, play alone against AI or even go for the story mode where you can meet some interesting characters and get that feeling of completion when you finish a campaign. I really like how low-stress this is because board games always stress me out, and yet not this one.
Strange Horticulture
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Bad Viking |
| Released | 21 January, 2022 |
| Est. Playtime | 5-6 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $14.99 |
In this one, you run a plant shop in the small, foggy town of Undermere, and your job is to identify the plants customers bring you or ask about, using clues, a big illustrated herbarium, and a magnifying glass. It sounds simple, but it slowly pulls you into a much bigger, darker mystery involving a coven, a cult, and some very suspicious neighbors.
What I love most is the atmosphere which is quiet and a little eerie. There’s no time pressure so you can solve the mystery at your own pace. There’s also the second one called Strange Antiquities, so give both or either one a go for some creepy yet cozy vibes.
See my favorite detective games here!
Is This Seat Taken?
| Platforms | PC, Switch, iOS, Android |
| Developer | Poti Poti Studio |
| Released | August 7, 2025 |
| Est. Playtime | ~5 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $9.99 |
Is This Seat Taken? is a logic puzzle game where your only job is to figure out the perfect seating arrangement for a group of characters. Whether it’s a movie theater, a wedding reception, a crowded bus, or a taxi cab, every character comes with their own little quirks and preferences, and it’s up to you to work out who sits where so everyone (mostly) gets along.
It’s such a simple concept, but it’s pretty charming, the puzzles get cleverly trickier as you go, and there are no timers or leaderboards to stress you out. I love games like this that turn something so mundane (assigned seating) into something fun.
Exploration, Nature and Walking Games
A Short Hike
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Adam Robinson-Yu |
| Released | 30 July, 2019 |
| Est. Playtime | 1.5-2 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $7.99 |
A Short Hike is a tiny adventure game about hiking. You play as a bird trying to get to the summit of Hawk Peak and along the way you can climb, glide, swim, fish, and chat with the other campers and hikers scattered across the island, most of whom have their own little side quests.
There’s no real objective beyond “get to the top eventually,” and most people finish it in just a couple of hours, but it’s a good couple of hours nevertheless. The art style is soft and blocky, the soundtrack is gentle and a little Ghibli-esque and if you’re ever in need of some cozy exploration, this is the best you can get!
Journey
| Platforms | PS3/PS4/PS5, PC |
| Developer | Thatgamecompany |
| Released | March 13, 2012 |
| Est. Playtime | ~2 hrs |
| Co-op | Yes (anonymous online, 2 players) |
| Price | $14.99 |
In Journey, you play as a cloaked, robed figure making your way across a vast desert toward a glowing mountain in the distance, gliding over sand dunes, uncovering ancient ruins, and occasionally crossing paths with another traveler online. There’s no dialogue, no text, no way to even see each other’s names until after the credits roll and you can only communicate through a simple musical chime.
I found it very meditative but it’s short so don’t expect too much. However, for a low-pressure adventure, this is great!
Wingspan
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, iOS, Android |
| Developer | Monster Couch (digital adaptation) |
| Released | 17 September, 2020 |
| Est. Playtime | 10-15 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
Wingspan started as an award-winning tabletop board game before it was turned into a digital game and it’s honestly one of the most relaxing strategies I’ve played, digital or otherwise. You’re building out a wildlife preserve by playing bird cards into one of three habitats (forest, grassland, or wetland).
Every bird is beautifully illustrated and comes with its own real-life birdsong, so the whole game has this gentle, nature-documentary calm to it.
Season: A Letter to the Future
| Platforms | PC, PS4/PS5 |
| Developer | Scavengers Studio |
| Released | 31 January, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 6-8 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $29.99 |
Season: A Letter to the Future puts you on a bicycle, leaving your secluded village for the very first time to explore the world before a mysterious cataclysm erases it entirely. Along the way, you record everything: sounds, photos, rubbings of textures, snippets of conversation so you can make something of a scrapbook in memory of this disappearing world.
Fair warning, this one did trigger my gaming motion sickness, so I wasn’t able to play it too much and my feelings on it are relatively ruined by the sickness, but I know a lot of players love it and so I heartily recommend it if you don’t have similar issues.
Fishing Games
Moonglow Bay
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series (Game Pass) |
| Developer | Bunnyhug |
| Released | 26 October, 2021 |
| Est. Playtime | 15-20 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $24.99 |
Moonglow Bay drops you in a struggling fishing town on the Eastern Canadian coastline, where you take up the rod as a rookie angler trying to fulfill your late partner’s final wish before the town’s centennial. You’ll be catching over a hundred species of fish, upgrading your boat, restoring rundown buildings, and slowly rebuilding relationships with the townsfolk, all rendered in this charming, chunky voxel art style.
This one also supports local co-op, so if you’re looking for a fun game to play with a partner or a friend, this is a good choice.
Luna’s Fishing Garden
| Platforms | PC, Switch |
| Developer | Coldwild Games |
| Released | June 16, 2021 |
| Est. Playtime | 2-3 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $7.99 |
Luna’s Fishing Garden is a much smaller, gentler take on the genre than Moonglow Bay. You play as Cassie, who’s whisked away by a storm and wakes up in an archipelago belonging to Luna, a mysterious fox spirit. Your job is simple: fish, plant trees, place decorations, and bring animals back to the islands to rebuild the garden and lift the fog that’s settled over everything.
It’s a short one, usually just a few hours from start to finish, but it’s about as low-pressure as cozy games get. The pixel art is sweet, the soundtrack is soothing, and it’s a lovely little palate cleanser if you want something fishing-adjacent that’s even breezier than Moonglow Bay or Dredge.
Dredge
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Black Salt Games |
| Released | 30 March, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 15-20 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
Dredge starts out feeling like a chill fishing sim. You’re piloting a small boat around a scattered archipelago, casting your line, upgrading your gear, and selling your catch to fund a bigger boat. But once the sun goes down, things get weird and strange lights appear on the horizon, your crew gets uneasy, and massive, tentacled things start lurking just beneath the surface.
I would say it’s more cozy-adjacent games and it’s definitely cozy horror (which is why I put it so close to the section below), so beware. But I liked it and still found it relaxing!
Cozy Horror
Slay the Princess
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series, mobile |
| Developer | Black Tabby Games |
| Released | 23 October, 2023 |
| Est. Playtime | 4-6 hrs per route (many endings) |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $17.99 |
This game gives me the creeps just thinking about it and I don’t even know why. It’s not the scariest game I ever played for sure, but something about it just stuck with me. Anyways, in Slay The Princess, you go to the cabin in the woods, and in the basement of that cabin is the princess you’re meant to slay or the world will end.
This is not an easy job, though, because the princess will cajole and lie, and promise all sorts of things just so you don’t kill her. But if you don’t, she’ll kill you. This thing is fully voice acted and pencil-drawn art, and to me felt like a piece of art. The story was so good it reminded me of some of my favorite books, and I don’t say this lightly. Go into it blind, don’t look for spoilers, and have fun!
Mundaun
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Michel Ziegler / MWM Interactive |
| Released | March 16, 2021 |
| Est. Playtime | 5-6 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
Mundaun is also hand-drawn and beautiful. You play as a young man returning to his grandfather’s remote alpine village after his death, only to find it steeped in old folklore, unsettling scarecrows, and something much darker hiding in the mountains. Most of the dialogue is even in Romansh, the actual regional language of the Swiss Alps setting, which gives it this wonderfully authentic, folk-tale feel.
And yes, it gets really scary, but it’s also slow and not very violent, plus there’s not a lot for you to do, which means cozy in my book.
Fear the Spotlight
| Platforms | PC, Switch, PS4/PS5, Xbox One/Series |
| Developer | Cozy Game Pals |
| Released | October 22, 2024 |
| Est. Playtime | 3-4 hrs |
| Co-op | No |
| Price | $19.99 |
Fear the Spotlight follows two high school students, Vivian and Amy, who get tangled up in something supernatural after a seance goes wrong late one night at their school.
It’s way more traditional in the horror sense and will remind you of the 90s horror movies, but it’s also not too bad. I mean, the developer company is literally called Cozy Game Pals. From my experience, it’s a perfect spooky season play that lets you dip your toes in horror but not get drenched in blood, gore and violence.
Further Reading:
- Best Horror Games to Play Right Now
- The Best Survival Games
- Should You Play Stardew Valley on Mobile or PC? What’s the difference?
- Best Disney Dreamlight Valley Characters to Unlock First
- Stardew Valley Relationship Guide
- Disney Dreamlight Valley Tips Everyone Should Know
- Best Offline PC Games You Can Play Without Internet
